For four long years, fans of New Years Day have been anxiously awaiting a follow-up to 2015’s Malevolence. On Friday, the waiting paid off in the form of Unbreakable, a twelve track record that proves the band refuses to recycle the same material over and over. Singer Ash Costello has described the new era of New Years Day as “pop metal.” Upon listening to the full record, we’d have to say that her description is spot-on. We were fortunate enough to sit down with Nikki Misery (guitar) and Frankie Sil (bass) to chat more about the new album before their show in Orlando. Read what they had to say below, and be sure to listen to their special message to fans about their upcoming headline tour!
SBN: Thank you for taking the time to chat with SwitchBitch Noise! It’s so exciting to be connecting with you on the actual release date of your new album, Unbreakable, so first of all, Congratulations! What has today been like for you guys so far? I know there’s been quite an outpouring of love on social media already.
Frankie: So far, today has been pretty hectic, driving in. But you know, we’re here. And as far as the outpour on social media, it’s just been all positive. It’s kind of surreal when you release something and you really don’t know how it’s going to go, but then you start getting all the response and positivity back. So we’re glad.
Nikki: It’s very exciting! You know, we’ve been working so hard on this for so long, and now today is like the day we’ve been waiting for forever. It’s like Christmas Day almost!
It’s been four years in the making, right?
Nikki: Yeah, four years!
All of the core elements you’d expect from a New Years Day album are definitely there, but Unbreakable certainly takes the band in a very different direction. There’s always a risk involved in doing so. How did you find the confidence to put aside other people’s expectations and create exactly what you wanted as artists?
Nikki: I always see it like, as artists, you’re supposed to push boundaries. Why would we want to put out the same record all the time? We constantly grow, and we always have this little bit of…I don’t want to say fear, but I don’t know another word. [You think] are people going to like it? But at the same time, you write new songs for you, as you’re writing it for everybody else.
Frankie: You know as far as taking risks, exactly. You have to take risks in this industry. If you don’t, everybody starts sounding the same. It happened with the whole metalcore scene and lasted for 16-17 years. You have to take those risks, and it definitely pays off. Technology always changes with music, so you have to influence that inside of the music as well. And I think that’s more or less what happens with new sounds or different elements involved with music.
SBN: In terms of the actual writing and recording process, what was the biggest challenge you faced and how did you overcome it?
Nikki: I want to say the same challenges, but different. You always go into the studio and they’re always pulling out deeper elements of you as a person to make it sonically fit. But I always say, if you aren’t pulling out your hair, are you really writing a new album?
Frankie: Yeah, absolutely. You have to have those fights and battles over what parts are the best to fit the song. And that’s what you want to do, is write the best parts for the song. It’s not [just about] turning the drums up. It’s about, “does this make this song come to life?” Like I said, with technology and different plug-ins that come with Pro Tools, you have to pull all of that stuff out and see what fits best. And I think you always start with what you know, and then it evolves slowly and [allows you] to take those risks.
Listening to the album beginning to end, you can definitely tell that there is a lot of thought put into the order of the songs. You start off kind of confrontational in “Come For Me” before moving onto more introspective tracks like “My Monsters” and then eventually ending on “I Survived.” How did that last track come together, and did you know right away that it would serve as the conclusion of the record?
Frankie: I think Ashley has a vision, and she has to stick to that vision that we all gravitate towards and understand that vision. And we’re kind of a theatrical band, so we always like to make those concept records that have that rollercoaster, the ups and downs with different moods. Marilyn Manson is one of our biggest influences, and Manson writes great concept albums.
Nikki: You said it perfectly, yeah!
I know you’ve released a handful of covers in the past, but hypothetically, if you had to cover any one album in its entirety, what would it be and why?
Both: Oooooh! That’s a good one.
Frankie: There’s a lot of albums. I can’t pick just one. I’d wanna cover The Downward Spiral from Nine Inch Nails. That would be insane, and there’d be a lot going on. We’d definitely be hairless by the end of it. Umm…I’d wanna do Dark Side Of The Moon.
Nikki: That was the one I was gonna pick! That was mine!
Frankie: And maybe we could do a rock record. Hmm…Kiss – Destroyer. Wouldn’t that be great?
Nikki: Dark Side Of The Moon is what I had in my head. But since he said it, I’m just going to go with one of my next favorites, which would be The Wall by Pink Floyd.
You’ve built such a strong community with your fanbase, as evidenced by the outpour of excitement on social media today. And so many people use you music as a source of inspiration or empowerment. What is your go to album when you need a “pick me up”?
Frankie: Mine changes constantly.
Nikki: Right now, I’ve been listening to The Weeknd so much. Another one that really pumps me up on a wild day is Municipal Waste – Born To Party. That’s another great one. We toured with those guys at Warped Tour, and that album has been my constant “waker upper.”
Frankie: I like albums that make me think. So Nikki turned me onto The Growlers awhile ago. And it’s a lot of stuff that’s not metal because I’m in the metal industry a lot, so it’s kind of nice to listen to something without distortion. And you know, “Gym Jams”…I’ve been listening to our album a lot at the gym. That definitely gets my work out on. Also, a lot of Pantera.
Finally, is there anything you want to tease or share about what fans can expect on your upcoming headlining tour?
Listen to Nikki and Frankie’s special message to their fans below:
